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Reducing feed costs with acidifier

Published: March 3, 2008
By: Nataliya Roth DI (MSc) - Courtesy of BIOMIN GmbH
Reducing feed costs with acidifier - Image 1

Feed prices jumped to the record high and further increase is on the horizon. There are several reasons for these circumstances. First of all it is a distinction between diminishing supplies and increasing demand. Diminishing supplies are mainly due to bad crops in many producing countries. Increasing demand is due to corn use for food and feed industries and bioethanol production. The discrepancy between supplies and demand is nor expecting to diminish in the future.
Livestock producers were already facing heavy losses due to the high cost of production. Unfortunately, there is no way to pass on the additional increased feed cost. Possibilities to improve the situation are requested. One of the possibilities is to reduce feed consumption but to keep animal performance at an optimum. Feed conversion ratio is one of the main factors delivering profitability. Improving FCR leads to cost savings.
The benefit of acidifiers in poultry production demonstrates following calculation. Data is based on the 5% FCR improvement, which is an average benefit of world wide use of Biotronic®, acidifier of BIOMIN, Austria
All parameters are constant, except the FCR, which has an influence on feed intake and therefore on feed savings. For the clear view further benefits of acidifiers were not considered in the calculation.

Reducing feed costs with acidifier - Image 2
Table 1: Effect of acidifier in poultry production


As shown in Table 1, total feed intake of broilers in the trial group with acidifier was decreased by 1 854 kg, because of reduced FCR from 1.80 to 1.71.
Feed prices differ depending on the country, but an increase in price is worldwide. Table 2 shows the difference in cost savings due to reduced feed intake at two price levels. The two price levels are the market prices of feed for poultry in December 2006 and December 2007.


Reducing feed costs with acidifier - Image 3
Table 2: Benefit of acidifier at different levels of feed costs


In both cost regimens, the inclusion of acidifier reduced the total feed cost per 10 000 birds. It is evident that, as the feed cost increases, the benefit of acidifier increases markedly (Figure 2). It can be seen in the example that feed costs increased by 36% but cost savings due to incorporation of acidifier increased by 214%!
Reducing feed costs with acidifier - Image 4
Figure 2: Cost savings due to use of acidifier for 10 000 broilers at different levels of feed cost

As mentioned, feed costs vary depending on the country and there will be further price increases. Therefore one more example (Figure 3), shows the influence of different feed cost levels on cost savings. Data for calculations were the same as shown in the example above (10 000 broilers, FCR improved from 1.8 to 1.71)

Reducing feed costs with acidifier - Image 5
Figure 3: Influence of feed cost increase on cost savings


Conclusion
Acidifiers markedly improve FCR and therefore help farmers to save money. Feed cost calculations incorporating FCR optimizing due to feed supplementation with acidifier highlights this effect. The noticeable outcome of this calculation is a profit difference between higher and lower feed cost. The multiple effects of cost savings were observed. This means the higher the feed costs are the higher the benefit is due to the use of acidifiers.



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Authors:
Nataliya Roth
dsm-firmenich
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Nataliya Roth
dsm-firmenich
11 de marzo de 2008
There is not a big influence of temperature in FCR. Fish are poikilotherm animals and as such their metabolism will depend on water temperature. At higher temperatures they eat more and grow more then at lower temperatures. Nevertheless, this should not influence the efficiency of how the nutrients are utilized, they just up regulate or down regulate the metabolism (eating more or less) with temperature but the FCR or feed efficiency should remain quite constant. Best regards. Nataliya
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Bose Makanjuola
23 de marzo de 2010
I would like to use your acidifier for research work. Please how do I get to buy it or can I have some free sample to work with? And please what is the inclusion rate for broilers? Thanks and well done.
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Aref Ben Ayoun
Aref Ben Ayoun
6 de enero de 2009
Dear Sr, very good article.
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Mohammad Hosseini
5 de enero de 2009
Dear Sr, The article, very good of you.
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Pej
Pej
11 de marzo de 2008
Thanks a lot about the ARTICLE, it is very useful. When we want a better FCR that mine more fish weight per food all the factors such as temperature and...... can influence it. (It is good to discuss about these factor in rain trout).
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Kurt Wegleitner
Kurt Wegleitner
6 de marzo de 2008
Dear Mr. Hekelaar, acidifier can be used in aquaculture and improve performance of fish. To give you more information about the product and dosage I need to know what fish species do you have You can contact me directly: nataliya.roth@biomin.net Best regards. Nataliya
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Jan Hekelaar
Jan Hekelaar
4 de marzo de 2008
I have no idea what an acidifier is, but it looks like a brilliant product. Will it work for my fish farm I have here in Paraguay? Every week the special feed goes up dramatically. I have approximately 15 000 fishes 4 months old.
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